Disinfectant



Warren Snares Parana Orricn.

AMOS DUNCAN, OF YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO.

' DISINFECTANT. V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,211, dated December16, 1884:.

(No specimens.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMos E. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Yellow Springs, in the county of Greene and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disinfecting,Antiseptic, and Deodorizing Compounds; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to a new, useful, and safe disinfecting,antiseptic, and deodorizing agent peculiarly adapted to sanitarypurposes, as hereinafter specified; and it consists in compoundingtogether, in substantially the pro portions given, the ingredientsmentioned in the following formula.

It also consists in the mode of preparing and adapting the compound, aswell as in the mode of using it when prepared.

Objections are urged against the several disinfecting and deodorizingagents and compounds now ofiered to the public, particularly those whichproduce hydric chloride. Some are so violent intheir action as to be toodangerous to handle. Others are dangerous because of the noxious gasesgenerated. Others, again, have no lasting qualities, losing theirstrength and properties immediately they are exposed, while still othersare peculiarly offensive, or so crystallize that they cannot be reused,and none, when once exposed, can be brought again under control.

It is the design and purpose of my compound and invention to overcomethese difficulties.

Practical and continuous tests have clearly demonstrated that whenproperly prepared my compound is perfectly harmless to handle or to use;the public may handle it with impunity; that it emits no offensive,unwholesome, or noxious gases or smells; that when used, though wastingslowly, its action is instantaneous, continuous, subtile, effective,thorough, and lasting; that it is wholly under control and easilymanaged, may be started and stopped at will, and is always friable andexceedingly cheap.

Formula: Take of cellulose (the ordinary form of woody matter) about,say, nine pounds; manganic dioxide, about, say, ten

pounds; sodic chloride, about, say, forty-two pounds, and reduce to animpalpable powder, observing to carefully and thoroughly mix the wholetogether.

I do not confine myself to the letter of the formula in the quantitiesgiven, observing merely'and preferring approximately the proportionsstated.

The compound thus prepared is ready for immediate use in any desiredbulk; but when preparing the compound for market to be handled andshipped, Iprefer to and do add to the formula heretofore given, offerrous sulphate about, say, two pounds, making gross sixtythree insteadof sixty-one pounds. While ferrous sulphate adds nothing materially tothe disinfecting, antiseptic, and deodorizing properties of thecompound, it is a valuable ingredient,in that it contributes materiallyin keeping the other ingredients more uniformly distributed throughoutthe mass, and produces a compound that can be handled and transportedwith greater satisfaction.

Mode of using: WVhen prepared after either formula, take the quantity ofthe compound desired, put it into a glass, gutta percha, glazed stonejar, bottle, or any other receptacle of any form, one with a mouth orneck that can be easily closed by a cork or lid being preferred, andpour upon it a small quantity (say from afew drops to several spoonfuls)of a suit able mineral acid-as, for instance, sulphuric acidan d set inthe room or place to be disinfected. The acid acting upon the compoundcauses a slow, steady, and continuous chemical change to take placetherein, slowly generating and throwing off a continuous innocuouscolumnof chlorine, which, escaping into the surrounding atmosphere,subtilely penetrating to the remotest corners,unites with the hydrogentherein, instantly integrating, breaking up, and dispelling all foul,noxious, or deleterious gases, odors, and fumes, expeditiously, almostinstantaneously, purifying the most fetid, poisonous, and foul air orplace, and neutralizing the most offensive odors. Should the place to bepurified be exceedingly offensive, by continu ously adding to thecompound small quantities of acid from time to time, according to thenoxious conditionsay at first once in every few hours, then once everyfew days, and later once in a few weeks-the most beneficial result willfollow. This can readily be regulated by any observer, as the presenceof ammoniacal and other noxious gases can readily be discovered by alight bluish cloud, caused by the uniting of the chlorine with the 'foulgases.

Having now fully described my invention and the mode of making andadapting it,what

I esteem as new, and seek to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A composition of matter consisting of cellulose, manganic dioxide,and sodic chloride, as herein set forth.

2. A composition of matter from which anti-

